Sandwich tray and the like



Jam. 7, 1936. E. A. FARR 2,027,032

SANDWICH TRAY AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 28, 1955 INVENTOR 2M! r m BY 7 5W4 M/w ATTORNEY-S Patented Jan. 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,027,032 SANDWICH TRAY AND THE LIKE ration of Delaware Application August 28, 1935, Serial No. 38,155

9*Claims.

This invention relates to sandwich trays and the like.

One object of the invention is a tray of this character which may be folded into book-like form for easy packing and stowage and particularly a tray with foldable halves having a handle structure which is carried by and totally housed within the two halves of the tray when folded for packing or storing.

A further object of the invention is a tray of this general character which is further characterized by its sturdiness and endurance and by its security against accidental collapse when supported by the handle structure.

Further objects of the invention will hereinafter appear.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the accompanying draw ing forming a part of this application wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the tray in service position;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the tray collapsed for packing and storage;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. '1;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4--4 o'f Fig.3; and

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawing the embodiment of the invention herein shown includes a pair of tray elements or halves l and 2, each being of rectangular form and having its marginal or peripheral edge 3 inclined upwardly to form a dish like effect. The tray embodies a central U- shaped lifting structure comprising a pair of short standards or legs l and 5 which are bridged by a handle 8. The tray halves I and 2 are fastened to each other and to the lower ends of the standards 4 and 5 by means of connections which form the whole into a rigid non-collapsing structure while the tray is being lifted or carried by the handle 6 or while the tray is resting upon a flat surface as shown in Fig. 1. For this purpose each tray part i and 2 is provided on its inner marginal upwardly inclined edge with a pair of brackets, the part i having a pair of brackets l and the part 2 having a pair of brackets 8. Each of these brackets comprises an angular extension the axis of whose horizontal portion it is disposed parallel to the tray bottom. Each of the brackets l is provided with a shoulder l engaging respectively the edges of the extensions 5 and 5' of the standards and similarly the brackets 8 are provided with shoulders 8' engag-' ing the opposite edges of the extensions 4 and 5'. The brackets l are provided with car or hinge elements 9 beside the shoulders I which form continuations of the horizontal portions [6 of the extensions but are disposed at right angles thereto and are pivotally fastened to the standard extensions 4' and 5' by pivotal connections Ill. Similarly, the brackets 8 are provided with ele- 5 ments beside the shoulders or bearing surfaces 8' forming upwardly extending ears or hinge elements I I which form continuations of the extensions IE on that tray element, aredisposed at right angles thereto andare pivotally fastened to 10 the opposite .sides of the standard extensions 4' and 5 and to the hinges 9 by means of the hinge pins 10. In the particular embodiment here shown the planes of the extensions l5, 9 and I6,

ll intersect the planes of the respective tray bottoms at right angles. Brackets l and 8 are observed to "be welded or otherwise fastened to the trayhalves orelem'ents l and 2 adjacent the inner peripheral marginal edge thereof and no part of the brackets extends down to the level of the bottom of the tray, accordingly, in the service position, as, for example, when resting. as shown in Fig. 1,'upon a table or other flat surface the tray halves l and 2 form the entire foun- .dation'for the tray with the short standards Land 5 together With thebridging handle 6 rigidly held in the upright position, out of contact with the supporting surface, and against pivotal movement and readyfor manual transport by gripping the handle 6. The standards 4 and 5 have their upper ends formed into saddles l2 with inwardly extending fastening flanges l3, the latter having openings for the reception of fastening screws [4 for fastening the handle 6 in position.

It is thus apparent that the short standards 4 and 5 together with the tray halves l and 2 which are thus constructed and mounted form a rigid, durable structure secure against accidental folding or collapse in the service position, and, moreover, the whole may be folded into book form as 4.0 shown in Fig. 2 with the short standards 4 and 5 and the handle 6 all contained or housed between the tray elements as book leaves. Moreover, the tray is of simple parts and construction and may be economically manufactured.

The tray and 'its parts may be made of any suitable material and While the embodiment of the invention herein shown is the preferred one, it is understood that the claims hereto annexed are intended to cover the essentials of the inven- 5 tion including all embodiments thereof.

I claim:

1. In a tray of the character set forth a pair of rectangular shaped tray elements having their marginal edges turned upwardly out of the plane of the bottoms, said tray elements having cooperating pairs of fastening brackets fastened to their inner edges and disposed above the plane of their bottoms, said brackets being fastened together by hinge pins, a pair of standards of a length shorter than the width of the tray elements which are fastened to the brackets by the aforesaid hinge pins at their lower ends and are bridged by a handle at their upper ends, said brackets having shoulder bearing surfaces engaging said standards on opposite sides thereof at points below the axis of the hinge pins when the tray elements are in service position, whereby the tray is held in a rigid non-collapsible structure in the service position, but the tray elements may be brought together in compact book-like form to house the standards and the bridging handle.

2. A tray of the character set forth comprising two tray elements which are spaced from and pivotally fastened to each other by means of pairs of brackets extending inwardly from their inner portions and connected together by hinge pins, a pair of standards of a length shorter than the width of the tray elements fastened respectively to the aforesaid brackets by means of said hinge pins, the brackets having shoulder bearing surfaces engaging the opposite edges of the standards when the tray is in service position to form the tray elements and the standards into a rigid structure, and a handle bridging the upper ends of the standards.

3. A tray of the character set forth in claim 2 wherein the hinge brackets are provided with ears or extensions whose planes intersect the planes of the tray bottoms at substantially right angles.

4. A tray of the character set forth in claim 2 wherein the hinge brackets are provided with ears or extensions whose planes intersect the planes of the tray bottoms at substantially right angles, with the bracket extension elements embracing opposite sides of the standards.

5. In a tray of the character set forth in claim 2, wherein the tray elements are formed with upwardly and outwardly inclined marginal portions, and the brackets are fastened to the said marginal portions and formed with lateral extensions having parts disposed parallel to the planes of the tray bottoms.

6. A tray of the character set forth in claim 2 wherein the upper ends of the standards are formed with saddles for the reception of the bridging handle, with extension flanges and openings therein for the reception of fastening screws and the like.

'7. A service tray of the character set forth, comprising a pair of tray halves which are pivotally fastened together by hinge elements provided at their inner marginal edges, said hinge elements pemiitting the folding of the tray halves toward each other in book-like fashion when not in use and a U-shaped handle grip member also pivotally connected to the tray at points adjacent said inner marginal edges and of smaller dimensions than a tray half so as to be contained within the tray halves when the latter are folded towards each other and said tray halves having surfaces engaging the legs of said U-shaped member and rigidly holding the latter in an upright position when the tray halves are unfolded for service.

8. Service tray of the character set forth comprising, a pair of tray halves, hinge elements secured to the inner marginal edges of said tray halves to pivotally fasten said halves together with the axes of the hinge elements positioned outwardly of the tray halves in their folded position, and permitting the folding of the tray halves toward each other in a hook-like fashion, and a U-shaped handle grip member also pivotally connected to the tray at points adjacent the inner marginal edges and of smaller dimensions than a tray half so as to be contained within the tray halves when the latter are folded toward each other, the legs of said U-shaped member having portions extending beyond the axes of the hinge elements, and the tray halves, when unfolded, having surfaces engaging said portions to hold the handle in a rigid upright position.

9. A tray of the character set forth in claim 2 wherein at least one of the standards is provided with an extension below the axis of the hinge which is engaged by the brackets when the tray elements are in service position.

EDWARD A. FARR. 

